Jared Dudley's back issue will not go away for the rest of the season and the Bucks' expected trip to the playoffs.

But the 29-year-old Bucks forward is determined not to miss this chance to help his younger teammates reach the post-season.

Dudley scored 10 points and hit 4 of 7 shots while playing 23 minutes in the Bucks' 110-101 victory over Boston on Friday night. The Bucks reduced their magic number over Boston to three and over Miami to four as they took a major step toward their goal.

"It's big for me to come on this road trip, where I just know even if I don't shoot the ball well I can still have an impact with talking and playing well," Dudley said. "I finally hit some shots."

Dudley said airplane travel is particularly challenging for his injury and he tries to move around on the plane and stand up when possible.

"It's an injury that takes like three to five weeks to heal, and my whole thing is just can I heat up," Dudley said. "I'm good when I'm out there; I don't feel it. My whole thing is when I get stiff, when I'm out of the game. When I travel it's tough for me."

Dudley's presence was important against Boston as he helped the Bucks bench register a 50-point night. O.J. Mayo, who has battled a right hamstring injury, scored 24 points off the bench, just one shy of his season high established in the home opener on Oct. 31.

Dudley now has played in four of the Bucks' last five games, and twice he has played more than 20 minutes. He initially missed six games with the back injury after being shut down in Memphis on March 14 and returning home to Milwaukee for treatment.